The Guns of Navarone (1961)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

J. Lee Thompson

Writers:

Alistair MacLean (novel)
Carl Foreman (written by)

Release Date:

22 June 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | War | Adventure

Tagline:

Still! The Greatest High Adventure Ever Filmed! [re-issue]

Plot:

A British team is sent to cross occupied Greek territory and destroy the massive German gun emplacement that commands a key sea channel.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Commando | Greek Resistance | Traitor | Mountaineer

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Gregory Peck	...	Capt. Keith Mallory
David Niven	...	Cpl. Miller
Anthony Quinn	...	Col. Andrea Stavros
Stanley Baker	...	Pvt. 'Butcher' Brown
Anthony Quayle	...	Maj. Roy Franklin
James Darren	...	Pvt. Spyros Pappadimos
Irene Papas	...	Maria Pappadimos
Gia Scala	...	Anna
James Robertson Justice	...	Commodore Jensen / Prologue Narrator
Richard Harris	...	Squadron Leader Howard Barnsby RAAF
Bryan Forbes	...	Cohn
Allan Cuthbertson	...	Maj. Baker
Michael Trubshawe	...	Weaver
Percy Herbert	...	Sgt. Grogan
George Mikell	...	Sessler

Runtime:

158 min | Sweden:156 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Greek | German

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (Westrex Recording System) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | Dolby (Restored version)

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/12 | West Germany:16 (nf) | USA:Approved | USA:Not Rated (DVD release) | Australia:PG | Finland:K-16 | Ireland:G | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:U (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (video rating) (1986) (uncut)

Filming Locations:

Associated British Elstree Studios, Shenley Road, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The screenplay differs drastically from Alistair MacLean's book in terms of characters, including the identity of the traitor and the two women who don't even appear in the novel.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Miller brings coffee to Franklin and Mallory in the wheelhouse, he opens the door inwards. But when he leaves (and Mallory after him), the door opens outwards.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Prologue Narrator: Greece and the islands of the Aegean Sea have given birth to many myths and legends of war and adventure. And these once-proud stones, these ruined and shattered temples bear witness to the civilization that flourished and then died here and to the demigods and heroes who inspired those legends on this sea and these islands...

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Vradya epitheorisis: (#1.14)" (1984)

Soundtrack:

Treu Sein

Solid, Man's WWII Movie

For a long (157 minutes) classic movie, this is paced well with a decent amount of action to keep things going. There are lulls, but just a few, and the cast is always worth watching with Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn, David Niven, Richard Attenborough, Stanley Baker and Anthony Quale all quality actors. There are no irritating, annoying people, either, which is very refreshing. Everyone in this group is pretty much on the same page.

It's just a straight World War II adventure, with no sappy romance subplots to take away from the story, either. In other words, this is man's movie, pure and simple, and a good one that still holds up today.

Despite the good cast, the story takes center stage. The visuals or sound aren't anything to write home about, even with the latest super-duper DVD edition. I found this surprisingly interesting even on multiple viewings when I knew what was going to happen, so that's a testimony to how well this story was told on screen.